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DAILY ALERT
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Tuesday, April 22, 2025 | ||
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In-Depth Issues:
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News Resources - North America, Europe, and Asia:
In a targeted Israeli airstrike, Hassan Atwi, a senior commander in Al-Jama'a al-Islamiyya, was killed in a vehicle south of Beirut, Arab media sources reported. The group, with strong ties to the Muslim Brotherhood in Lebanon, has been an active participant in anti-Israel operations, often collaborating with Hizbullah forces in their shared hostility toward Israel. (Caliber-Azerbaijan) After U.S. airstrikes on Thursday targeted Yemen's Ras Isa fuel port controlled by the Houthis, the Houthi-controlled health ministry on Friday said at least 74 people were killed and 171 were wounded in the attack. It was not possible to independently verify the claims. Since President Trump ordered intensified air strikes last month against the Houthis, CENTCOM has posted frequent video clips showing fighter jets taking off from the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier, and saying the strike group is conducting round-the-clock operations against the Houthis. (Financial Times-UK) See also U.S. Says Chinese Company Is Helping Houthis Target American Warships - Demetri Sevastopulo A Chinese satellite company linked to the country's military is supplying the Houthis in Yemen with imagery to target U.S. warships and international vessels in the Red Sea, according to American officials. "The United States has raised our concerns privately numerous times to the Chinese government on Chang Guang Satellite Technology Co Ltd.'s role in supporting the Houthis," said a senior state department official, but that they had "ignored" U.S. concerns. (Financial Times-UK) The Lebanese army announced Sunday that it foiled a planned rocket attack from Lebanon at Israel. The Lebanese Armed Forces raided an apartment in the Sidon area, confiscated rockets and launchers, and arrested several individuals. (Times of Israel) Pope Francis, leader of the Roman Catholic Church, who died on Monday, grew up in the Flores neighborhood in Buenos Aires. This excerpt from his autobiography describes his view of that world. "The barrio was a complex, multiethnic and multicultural microcosm. Our family was always on excellent terms with the Jews, who in Flores were called "the Russians" because many came from the area of Odesa where a vast Jewish community lived, large numbers of whom would be massacred by Romanian and Nazi occupying forces during World War II. Many customers of the factory where my father worked were Jewish, employed in the textile industry, and many were our friends." (Telegraph-UK) News Resources - Israel and the Mideast:
Three IDF brigades comprising infantry, armor and engineering units are advancing cautiously through Rafah's southern neighborhoods, moving deliberately to minimize risk to troops. Most of the Hamas fighters from Rafah are believed to have fled north. Currently, only dozens of operatives remain in the city as well as a small number of Palestinian families who are being evacuated in coordination with Israeli forces. After a year since the IDF first launched operations in Rafah, the city now lies largely in ruins, with small Hamas cells still hiding in undiscovered tunnels. "We cannot guarantee the security of [Israeli] residents in the western Negev without achieving the objective of dismantling Hamas's rule and its military forces," an IDF official said. The Rafah operation is being carried out largely by standing army units, as the IDF tries to limit reservist service to no more than two and a half months in 2025. Officials said regular units are operating at triple the intensity compared to previous years, yet commanders reported exceptionally high morale. (Ynet News) See also Every Day that Passes, Hamas Loses Assets - Emanuel Fabian Brig.-Gen. Barak Hiram, commander of the Gaza Division, said Monday, "The immediate purpose of the mission [in Rafah] is to exert more pressure on Hamas to return the hostages, out of the understanding that Hamas is constantly trying, in any way possible, to stall. Hamas thinks that time works in its favor. This operation is staged; we know how to intensify it. It is an operation that I think proves that time does not work in Hamas's favor. Every day that passes, it loses assets. Every day that passes, it loses more fighters, loses senior officials, loses infrastructure, loses capabilities." The IDF is constructing a road in the Morag corridor separating the city of Khan Yunis from Rafah. So far, 6 km. of the planned 12-km. road has been paved, with a buffer zone surrounding it of up to two kilometers. Journalists were driven along the road, as massive explosions from Israeli airstrikes and IDF demolitions of Hamas infrastructure were seen and heard in the surrounding area. The military has also located two major Hamas tunnels connecting Rafah and Khan Yunis and is in the process of demolishing them and locating other underground routes. (Times of Israel) The IDF said Sunday that an investigation into the incident involving rescue teams and vehicles in Gaza on the night of March 23, 2025, found that it occurred while the troops were conducting a vital mission aimed at targeting terrorists. Throughout the operation, vehicles and ambulances moved along the route without obstruction, since the forces did not perceive any threat posed by them. There were three shooting incidents on that day: In the first incident, troops fired at a vehicle identified as a Hamas vehicle. An hour later, the troops opened fire on suspects emerging from a fire truck and ambulances very close to the area in which the troops were operating, after perceiving an immediate and tangible threat. Supporting surveillance had reported five vehicles approaching rapidly and stopping near the troops, with passengers quickly disembarking. The deputy battalion commander assessed the vehicles as employed by Hamas forces, and ordered to open fire. Fifteen Palestinians were killed, six of whom were identified later as Hamas terrorists. Due to poor night visibility, the deputy commander did not initially recognize the vehicles as ambulances. Only later, after approaching the vehicles, was it discovered that these were indeed rescue teams. About 15 minutes later, the troops fired at a Palestinian UN vehicle due to operational errors in breach of regulations. At dawn, it was decided to gather and cover the bodies to prevent further harm to them and clear the vehicles from the route. There was no attempt to conceal the event, which was discussed with international organizations and the UN, including coordination for the removal of bodies. The investigation determined that the fire resulted from an operational misunderstanding by the troops, who believed they faced a tangible threat from enemy forces. Alongside this, the examination identified several professional failures, breaches of orders, and a failure to fully report the incident. The deputy commander of the battalion will be dismissed due to his responsibility as the field commander in this incident. Existing protocols have been clarified and reinforced - emphasizing the need for heightened caution when operating near rescue forces and medical personnel, even in high-intensity combat zones. (Israel Defense Forces) Global Commentary and Think-Tank Analysis:
Iran Now that the Trump administration has decided to reopen negotiations with Iran, it is important that they understand the limits of sanctions to affect Iran's behavior. To be sure, sanctions (along with chronic mismanagement and systemic corruption) have depleted Iran's treasury and spurred inflation and unemployment. But they haven't in the slightest obliged the regime's leaders to forsake their faith, their missions, or their nuclear ambitions. The Islamic Republic has a pattern of using short-term retreats to pursue long-term, consistent goals. The regime gives ground when necessary but always circles back to take back its concessions. For the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, the value of a nuclear weapon as the ultimate deterrent has never been higher, which is why Iranian VIPs are now discussing the utility of having atomic arms sooner, not later. Iran has entered talks with the Trump administration not because of external pressure but in order to preserve the essential features of its expanding nuclear infrastructure - and they feel confident they can achieve this if the talks proceed. The mullahs know that what matters most are protecting its new generation of centrifuges. Even a stringent inspection regime, unless supported by a well-placed human-intelligence network, would find locating these centrifuges an excruciatingly difficult task. Reuel Marc Gerecht, a former Iranian-targets officer in the CIA, is a resident scholar at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Ray Takeyh is a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. (Politico) U.S.-Israel Relations The U.S. receives profound strategic, technological, and humanitarian benefits from its alliance with Israel. Military support for Israel remains one of the most cost-effective and mutually beneficial investments the U.S. has made in modern history. Moreover, U.S. military aid to Israel must be spent on American-made products by U.S. manufacturers. Israel serves as a vital strategic partner in the Middle East - a region where the U.S. has few reliable allies. Ports like Haifa and Ashdod serve as secure and hospitable docking locations for the U.S. Navy and house emergency military stockpiles for rapid deployment. From the Cold War to the present day, all U.S. presidents have understood that support for Israel is not charity - it is a sound investment in national security. During the Cold War, Israel served as a bulwark against Soviet influence in the Middle East. Today, it stands as a front line of defense against radical Islamist forces and Iran's hegemonic ambitions. In 2007, Israel independently destroyed Syria's nuclear reactor just before it went operational, preventing Syria under Assad from being a nuclear power and thereby saving the U.S. from having to intervene militarily itself. Israel shares critical intelligence with the U.S. on terrorism, cyber threats, and nuclear proliferation. Israeli expertise in counterterrorism, honed through decades of necessity, has helped shape American homeland security strategies. Joint efforts in missile defense systems have enhanced both nations' defensive capabilities. Israeli firms develop high-tech protective gear, drones, unmanned vehicles, and bomb-detection systems that directly benefit U.S. soldiers. (Los Angeles Jewish Journal) Palestinian Arabs After bringing death and destruction on the residents of Gaza, Iran-backed Hamas is now trying to drag Arab Israelis and Palestinians in eastern Jerusalem and the West Bank into a violent confrontation with Israel. Yet these efforts have so far been unsuccessful. The Arab Israelis and the Palestinians of the West Bank and Jerusalem see the death and destruction in Gaza and do not want to meet the same fate. Moreover, 20 Arab citizens of Israel were murdered by Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7 or by Hamas rocket launches in the ensuing days. The writer, a veteran Israeli journalist, is a senior fellow at the Gatestone Institute and the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs. (Gatestone Institute) Palestinian leaders have yet to utter the one sentence that could begin to chart a course toward peace: "Give the hostages back." In an interview with Saudi daily Arab News this week, Dr. Varsen Aghabekian, the Palestinian Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Minister, launched into a tirade against Israel's military campaign in Gaza. What she did not speak about was Hamas's responsibility. Not one word about the 250 hostages taken on Oct. 7. Not a single acknowledgement that the release of the remaining 59 captives, 24 of whom are believed to be alive, could bring about a ceasefire and save thousands of lives. It is true to Palestinian form. Always the victim, never responsible. Aghabekian claimed that "a durable ceasefire entails meeting the demands of both parties." But she must know full well that one side refuses even the most basic gesture of humanity: releasing innocent civilians. It should never be forgotten that Hamas sparked this war. (Jerusalem Post) Syria The U.S. announcement on April 18 about reducing American forces in Syria brings the troop levels back to what they were before the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024. Turkey is pressuring the U.S. to withdraw its forces from Syria, viewing the cooperation between the American forces and the Kurdish-led forces in Syria - who played a key role in defeating ISIS - as having an element of support for Kurdish terrorism against Turkey. To achieve a full U.S. withdrawal, Turkey will need to convince Washington that it can assume responsibility for preventing a resurgence of ISIS. However, in the past, Turkey showed reluctance to fully commit to the fight against ISIS. In addition, Turkey will need to assure the U.S. that it will not target the Kurdish minority in northeastern Syria. Israel has argued that the U.S. withdrawal would only increase Turkish dominance in Syria. From Israel's perspective, a full withdrawal of American forces would represent a gain for Turkey and a setback for Israel. However, if the Americans condition the withdrawal of their forces on Turkish concessions - such as reducing Turkey's military presence in Syria, as well as a promise to grant rights to the Kurds in Syria under the leadership of al-Sharaa - this could help mitigate the threat posed by the new Syria toward Israel. The writer is a senior research fellow at INSS, specializing in Turkish foreign policy. (Institute for National Security Studies-Tel Aviv University) Israel and the West A poll last year found that only one in four British Muslims believe Hamas carried out rapes and murders on Oct. 7, 2023. Why are there so many people in our country who side with the death cult of Hamas. In 2005 the people of Gaza were given a state. When the IDF tore the last Jewish families from their homes and even relocated Jewish graves in Gaza, the Palestinian people there had a choice. In the subsequent election they voted in Hamas. Hamas is a designated terrorist group in Britain and many other countries. Their stated aims include the annihilation of the Jewish people. Their desire is to finish the job that Adolf Hitler started. As soon as they were elected, Hamas murdered fellow Palestinians - from the rival faction of Fatah. Then they spent the past 18 years preparing for war. They taught their children to hate their neighbors. When 4,000 terrorists invaded Israel on Oct. 7, they killed the idea of co-existence. Instead of bringing up a generation to live in peace, Hamas nurtured a people who sought war. When a death cult attacks a democracy, why do so many people in our midst side with the death cult? Our own future depends on answering that question. The writer is the author of On Democracies and Death Cults: Israel, Hamas and the Future of the West. (The Standard-UK) Other Issues Passover is one of my favorite holidays in all religions. It is very linked to Egypt. My friends had to intervene a few months ago to get me out of my very own Egypt, a few hours before I was doomed to be killed or imprisoned in reprisal for my political opinion in support of Israel's war on Hamas terrorism. Daring to condemn the Oct. 7 attacks on Israeli civilians stirred credible death threats and state-sponsored persecution against me. On my way out of Egypt, I felt the pain and agony felt by the Jews who accompanied Moses across the Red Sea and the Jews who were forced in the 1950s-60s to leave their homelands in Egypt and other Arab countries. I did not want to leave my homeland. I had to suffer the bitter loss of my house, my work, my friends, and my family in a matter of a few hours. I know that I will soon recover from the pain of loss and thrive in life. I know that those who targeted me because of my stance in support of the truth will be defeated and humiliated. Like the Jews, I believe in the value of life. Happy Passover, my friends! The writer, an Egyptian scholar, is a Senior Fellow at the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs. (X) After the fall of the Syrian regime, Israel was concerned that strategic Syrian weapons would fall into hostile hands. Beginning on Dec. 8, 2024, Israeli ground, naval, and air forces launched an operation that ultimately neutralized 80% of the capabilities left by Assad's military. As part of the operation, the Israeli Navy's Flotilla 3 sank 15 vessels carrying weaponry that could have posed a serious threat to Israeli national security at Syria's naval base at Latakia port. The targeted vessels included Osa 2-class missile boats and Tir 2-class Iranian-manufactured ships. They carried Noor missiles with a range of 200 km. and Styx missiles with a 90-km. range, which could end up in the wrong hands. First, the Israeli Navy missile boats struck Syrian surface-to-air batteries, opening a corridor for Israeli Air Force jets, which then struck missile warehouses and launchers positioned onshore. Then the missile boats destroyed the Syrian vessels. (Israel Hayom) Observations: Iran's Negotiation Method: Between Ideology and Economic Reality - Oded Ailam (Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs)
The writer, former head of the Counterterrorism Division in the Mossad, is a researcher at the Jerusalem Center. |
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